'Be ambitious' MP calls for expansion of A&E at the Alex and at the Royal - The Redditch Standard

'Be ambitious' MP calls for expansion of A&E at the Alex and at the Royal

Redditch Editorial 3rd Feb, 2020   0

ACCIDENT & Emergency at the Alexandra Hospital should be expanded and must be able to provide emergency care for children – that’s the call from Redditch MP Rachel Maclean.

There is currently a dedicated children’s outpatient department and a Minor Injuries Unit located within the A&E at the Alex.

However, emergency care for children is provided at Worcestershire Royal Hospital – 18 miles away – following the centralisation of services.

Mrs Maclean is now calling on Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the Alex, to be ambitious in their requests for funding from the Government for big capital projects to improve services for patients.




Her call comes as the government sets out its its commitment to increase NHS spending by £33.9 billion by 2023-24.

“As we all know, currently children in need of emergency care can’t receive treatment at the Alex,” said Mrs Maclean.


“Instead they’re stabilised and sent to Worcester. Not only does this make a difficult situation even more distressing for parents, but it also increases pressure on the A&E at Worcester which is already struggling.

“It’s clear for all to see, and to anyone who has used the A&E at the Alex and at Worcester, that they both need expanding.

The A&Es currently can’t cope with the demand they’re facing and this problem will not be resolved until health bosses are ambitious and submit bids to the Government to expand their emergency departments.”

The MP has already had meetings with local health bosses and the Health Secretary Matt Hancock about the need for ambitious capital projects.

At their most recent meeting it was revealed the Trust will be submitting a capital bid to Government for £20million for the Alex to expand the A&E.

“We all want to see an end to the issues besieging the Trust and increasing capacity is a key solution to the problem local health services are facing,” she said.

“I will continue to lobby for these improvements to happen, as well as fighting for services to be returned to the Alex.”

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